Chocolate Alliances
by DeutschlandFTW
Summary: Katniss is partnered with Peeta Mellark to represent her district in the 74th Hunger Games in Panem. If that isn't enough stress, now the boy from District 11 is sending her flowers! All and all, for Katniss, this will NOT be a happy Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello all! As you are probably wondering, I am writing a story for the Hunger Games! There isn't much room to write a summary in the space provided so here's a short summary inside as well.**_

_**Katniss volunteers for Prim's place in the 74th Hunger Games. Her district partner, Peeta Mellark, annoys the crap out of her! And now a mysterious boy from District 11 is sending her flowers and chocolates? Could her life GET any more complicated! And what about Gale? It's going to be a looooooong Hunger Games for Katniss. Rated T for possible kissing and whatnot and blah. :)**_

_**Anyways, there you go! Enjoy! And Happy Hunger Games! :)**_

Prologue

And before I knew what was going on, I was running up to her, screaming her name. "PRIM! PRIM!" Peacekeepers dove after me, trying to restrain me. My voice became desperate. "I volunteer!" At that word, the Peacekeepers released their grip. I stepped forward so that freak haired Effie Trinket could see me correctly. "I volunteer as tribute."

Volunteer. The word still hung on my lips. The one word, in all of Panem, that catches everyone's attention. I could feel the cameras on me, zooming in with their high definition lenses, all trying to get a glimpse at one thing. District 12's first ever volunteer. And it wasn't just the cameras peering over the crowd to get a look at me. It was everyone around, all of my friends and every face in District 12. All of Panem. And somewhere in that crowd of faces was my mother's. Probably distraught and emotional, just as she'd been the day of the mine explosion, because, even with the little hope that they might survive, she was nearly sure she'd lost someone very close to her. But even her face was not the one I was looking at. It was 12-year-old Prim's.

She nearly dove into my arms. Tears streaming her cheeks. I forced myself to not let her tears consume me. I had to stay strong for her, for my mother, for district 12. But most of all, for the cameras. I don't remember much of what happened next. I was reassuring Prim one moment, and the next, Gale was pulling her away while she thrashed in his arms. And then I was on stage.

I kept a straight face, wondering what I'd just done. The only thing that snapped me back to reality was the name of the male tribute. Peeta Mellark. 'Oh god.' I thought. 'Why him?' Soon he was beside me on stage. Effie Trinket, bubbly as ever, was congratulating us. He reached out his hand to me and it took a second for me to register that I was supposed to shake it. Returning my hand, I felt his fingertips linger for perhaps an instant too long, so I retracted my arm quickly.

After that, everything was a blur. I was far too distracted with my own thoughts to care about anything Effie could possibly be blabbering about. I was still in shock. One thought, and one thought alone crossed my mind. 'Happy Hunger Games.'

Chapter 1

Training was hell. The entire time we practiced I could feel that bow in the center of the room. Pulling me closer. As if some unnatural force was beckoning me closer. I wanted so badly to run to the bow. Reach out and touch it's smooth neck. Feel the curve under my fingertips. Taste the air as I released the arrow, dead set to reach it's target. And hear the satisfying 'THWAP' of the arrow driving into my opponent – a human shaped test dummy.

I shook my head to clear it. I had to keep my thoughts away from things like that. Because thoughts led to actions, and Haymitch had clearly told me to avoid using the bow at any cost. Still...

I shook my head again to clear any longings I had for that bow. When I looked up, Peeta was smiling.

"Got a twitch, huh, Katniss?"his smug tone made me want to grab that bow even more. And send an arrow through his brain.

"Shut up, dough boy." I spat.

There was just something about him, Peeta, that angered me. I couldn't quite place it. But it was there. Looking down, I realized that the fire I'd worked over and hour to get started had all but burnt out. Giving a low growl, I got up and stalked off. First having to avoid my bow, then Peeta teasing me... I needed to get my anger out, and the survival skills station was not going to help me do that.

Walking over to the spear throwing section, I picked up a medium sized specimen and aimed at my target. I threw the razor tipped spear with all my might. Looking up at where I expected the spear to be, in the target's heart, I found a fully functional dummy. Not the one ripped to shreds like I was expecting. Instead, my spear had landed in the target's foot. I heard vague laughing in the background and turned to glare at Cato, who just laughed harder.

Picking up another spear, I aimed a little higher. This one was lighter than the first and I felt confident it would hit it's target. When the spear left my hand, I knew something was wrong. The tip was already pointing to the left a bit. By the time it landed, it was lodged in the head of a target. The target next to the one I was aiming at.

Feeling defeated, I lowered my chin a fraction of an inch. I was just about to turn around when I nearly fell on my back. "Keep your hand steady." He whispered, not an inch from my ear.

And that's when I turned to see him. The towering dark figure from District 11. I'd seen him on the list of tributes Effie had given me. What was his name?

"Thresh." I said breathlessly.

His lips curled up into an amused smile, revealing pearly white teeth. "Katniss." Still smiling, he lifted the heaviest spear on the rack, threw it with ease, and watched as it not only pierced the heart of the dummy, but knocked it backwards onto the ground. Trailing his dark eyes back to mine, he grinned that same, amused smirk. "See. Like I said, keep your hand steady."

And with that, like the shadow from which it seemed he'd appeared, he was gone again. Only after he'd gone did I realize my heart was beating much faster than usual. Making an effort to slow it, I closed my eyes and took deep breaths.

"What was all that about?" Asked that same, annoying voice. Peeta.

"None of your business." I spat back at him, though his question had sounded genuine. I thought about regretting it, but pushed that thought back into the crevices of my mind. I regretted nothing when it came to Peeta.

"Fine, fine." He shrugged and turned to walk away.

The truth was, I had no idea what had happened, but I decided I'd think about it later. When I had some time to myself. But I knew, for the rest of the training period, my mind would be on the dark boy from District 11. And now I felt a familiar longing, but not for my bow.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Back again! Here's chapter 2! It's like I can't stop writing! Lol. Tell me what you think! Enjoy and Happy Hunger Games!_**

Chapter 2

Haymitch nearly beat down my door the next morning. At first, I thought it was a Peacekeeper, coming to collect me and take me to some torturous room where they held Prim hostage. Just like the dream I'd been experiencing only moments before. But no. Only Haymitch.

"KATNISS! KATNISS GET OUT OF BED!" He was screaming.

I was in a dazed state for only a moment longer. And then it hit me. This was not just Haymitch waking me for breakfast. There was something wrong. He was too urgent.

I hopped out of bed, thinking the worst had happened, something had happened to Prim. Or Gale. Or Pee- No. I stopped that thought immediately. I unbolted my door and found a flushed Haymitch holding a vase of flowers and a big, heart shaped box of chocolates, like the one's I'd seen in the bakery back home. I looked at him confused.

"What is it Haymitch? You allergic to daisies or something?" I was about to laugh when Haymich thrusted the items out to me.

"They're for you!" He said, his eyes still wide, bewildered.

And then I realized what he meant, and real puzzlement crossed my features. For me? That seemed impossible. Who in all the world would send flowers – which I now realized were, ironically, katniss – and a box of expensive looking chocolates, to me? The least loveable creature in all of Panem (well, except maybe Buttercup). I grabbed the items from Haymitch and stared at them in wonder.

Just then, Peeta happened to emerge from his room across the hall, rubbing his still not fully open eyes. "What's all the.." He stopped short when he saw me holding the flowers and chocolate.

Checking the tag, I confirmed that there was no name of the sender. It simply said, in smooth, beautiful lettering, "Too the flower that holds my eye." I read this aloud and Peeta, somehow finding this whole situation utterly hilarious, nearly doubled over laughing.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide the innocence in my voice as I stared at him.

"Well, now we know why Thresh was paying so much attention to you!" Peeta laughed again.

"What?" It came out as a mumble as I stared down at the flowers. They were beautiful. As was the writing on the little card that came with them. Neither of them, small and delicate, reminded me of the 6 foot something brute of a boy that I had cowered in front of the day before. The one who had thrown a spear into the heart of a dummy like it wasn't an effort at all. "That... That can't be."

"Thresh?" Haymitch asked, eyes bulging even more than before. Now knowing who the sender was, he began to calm again, to think rationally. "Okay... Okay... This is good! If he's got his eye on you, maybe you can take him as an ally!" That was Haymitch, always thinking strategy.

But he was right. This _was_ good news. It meant that, more than likely, Thresh would avoid killing me. Unless... It was like the thought spit out of my mouth before my lips had time to register the words. "What if it's a trap?" Peeta and Haymitch just looked at me. "What if it's a trap? What if he wants me to believe that he's not a threat to me, so he can sneak up and kill me when I least expect it?" I asked, looking into the eyes of both of the men in front of me.

Haymitch simply smiled and looked over at Peeta. "Watch out boy, training's only begun and she's got her head in the Games." Peeta just retreated back into his room and slammed the door. A beaming Haymitch turned back to me. "That's a brilliant thought, sweetheart. A _victor _kind of thought." He grinned wider and slapped me on the back, almost knocking the delicate vase out of my hands. "Didn't know you had it in ya!"

And with that, he walked back down to the dining room to eat. I could hear Effie give a squeal and then Haymitch replying in a voice slurred with alcohol. What had he made it to this time? Nine o' clock? New record.

Sighing, I set the flowers on my bedside table, along with the chocolates. Great. Just perfect. Another thought that would be distracting me all day. When I went down for breakfast, I was the talk of the table. And the conversation didn't end there. It was going to be a long day.

**_Wow! Can you believe that! How about you write me a PM or a comment about it in the review box! Until next time, Happy Hunger Games!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey everyone! I'm baaack! And with a whole new chapter! This one is a little longer than the rest but, enjoy! :)_**

Chapter 3

I couldn't help but ask, nearly _beg_ Haymitch to not send me to training. But, of course, he wouldn't listen to my pleads. The only thing that brightened my day was Cinna clipping my Mocking Jay pin to my training uniform. It reminded me that I'm not in this arena alone, I've got my district to back me up.

Feeling more confident than this morning, I strode into the training gym, head high. And then, I saw him. Like a shadow in the back corner of the room. As soon as I saw him, our eyes locked, and that same, amused grin cast itself onto his lips. I had to pull myself away, feeling my blush riding up. 'Why is he doing this?' I asked myself as the head of the gym went over the basic rules again. We would get to train for one week. That meant 6 more days of facing Thresh, every morning to afternoon.

As we dismissed, I immediately headed towards the opposite corner as Thresh. To my dismay, this happened to be the spear throwing station. My mind immediately went to my conversation with the dark brute the day before. I couldn't help but blush softly. With my mind completely distracted, I didn't hear him approaching, (not that I would have, the way he moves like a shadow).

I snapped to reality as the spear, thrown from behind me, fluttered through the air like one of my arrows and smashed into the dummy's head. "Need some more help?" He asked. His voice, as I now realized, taking account of it's softness, was husky and deep. Very deep.

My palms began to involuntarily sweat. "N-no." It came out as a squeak. Clearing my throat, I somehow produced a more confident answer. "No thank you."

He laughed softly. But it wasn't the dark laugh I'd expected. It was surprisingly light, airy, and oddly... Comforting. Like the laugh of an old friend. I instantly realized who he reminded me of. Gale. Now I recognized it. The silent movements, the teasing kind of joking, the laugh... The only thing that was different, was that, at some point, I might have to kill him. I shuddered at the thought of coming face to face with this brute on the battlefield.

"Cold? That's not good. Katniss need warmth to blossom. I'll make a suggestion to the Gamemakers about the temperature." He chuckled again and then, he was gone.

My heart beat again, reminding me that, at some point in the near future, I would need to breath. When I did, the oxygen filled my lungs like I'd just been chased out of the woods by a black bear. Not nearly fast enough. After a few deep breaths, I sighed softly. 'He's just pulling you into his game, Katniss.' I forced myself to think. Still... There was a certain ring to his voice, one would call captivating, that made me want to believe his flirting was not produced by the Games.

My head was spinning so I decided I'd sit myself at the station I felt most comfortable at (other than the archery unit). Survival skills. I whizzed through the "edible plant" test, and had a shelter built in no time. Allowing myself to think clearly as my body preformed the familiar motions, I took my first calm breath in a while. 'The Games are in less than a week, Katniss.' I reminded myself. 'You don't have time to be fretting over guys that you will have to kill in 6 days.' That thought hit me like a ton of bricks. There could only be one survivor. Somehow, I knew I wouldn't be it.

My thoughts immediately drifted to Prim. I promised her I'd try to win. But would winning be worth it if I meant I had to kill someone. 'For Prim's sake, yes.' I decided. But would I ever be able to live with myself? My thoughts drifted to my mother. What if I was scarred by the things I will have seen. Things I will have done. What if I go into a state of shock, like my mother. That would leave Prim to face the cold world around her with no one but that putrid cat of hers. 'No.' I thought defiantly. 'I will not let that happen. Prim will never be alone as long as I am around.' And there was that thought again. 'But what if you aren't around?' I quickly pushed it down into the crevices of my mind and focused on starting a fire.

"For the girl on fire, you sure don't know how to start one." Thresh's voice came from behind me. It was soft, warm, but teasing.

Thinking as fast as I could to come up with a witty remark, I let my hands fumble. "Well, I was only there after the flame started. Fire catches." I said, and as I did so, burnt my hand on the hot rock I'd been very close to setting ablaze before I spoke. "Ah!" I let out a soft shriek, bringing the burnt area to my lips. Even my cold tongue couldn't silence the burning.

"Here." He said softly. Taking my hand, he pressed it to a bag of ice. Not the kind of ice you see on the side of the roads in winter in District 12. Cubed ice. Capitol ice. The fancy stuff. "Now what am I going to do with you?" He chuckled. His voice was teasing, but it was light, so I didn't take it as an insult. There was something about him teasing. It was flirtatious and soft, unlike Haymitch's down right criticism.

I couldn't stop the blush that spread across my cheeks. Looking up, I realized that no one was paying much attention to us. No one but Peeta. And what was he looking at? Thresh. And his gaze was not only angry but... Jealous? No. I tore my gaze from 'dough boy' as I call him, and looked back at the dark figure knelt next to me.

His eyes met mine and I realized our faces were only inches apart. His dark eyes sparkled in the fluorescent light of the training room. I caught highlights of color in them. They were not just dark. No. They had hints of hazel and light brown in them too. Like the coat of a baby deer. And there were also the darkest patches. Like crystals held to the starless midnight sky. His eyes were beautiful. They reminded me of home. And instantly my heart began to ache. I missed home badly.

After realizing that my hand had gone numb, and Peeta was no longer the only person looking at us, I tore my gaze away and looked back at the fire I'd failed to create. "So much for being the girl on fire."

He grinned softly. "It's fine to play with fire as long as you're ready to be burnt. Like I am." He said, though the last part was barely a whisper.

My eyes caught his again, and I absently wondered what he saw. Did he see the eyes of, indeed, the girl on fire. The girl that had caught everyone's attention at the parade. The girl that had stolen the glory of those that deserved it? Or did he see just another opponent in the game. An opponent worthy of a little time, but in the end, just another target. It was hard to tell. His eyes gave away so little of what he was thinking.

The survival station instructor cleared her throat and both of our heads whipped back to see her. "If you're going to stare longingly into each others eyes, please do it on your own time." She said curtly, but not exactly in a harsh way.

Nodding, I stood, as did Thresh. "Thank you for the ice." I said softly. He nodded but before he could walk away, I added softly. "And the flowers." He only smiled, fixed a strand of my hair, and walked off.

**_Wow! Can you believe that? No? Then why don't you tell me your opinion in a review or a PM. I'd love to get some feedback. Until next time, Happy Hunger Games. :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four! Enjoy:)_**

Chapter 4

That night I woke to a knock on my door. It was light and very quiet but enough to wake me from my restless sleep. Opening the door with great care, I saw the redheaded Avox girl holding something out to me. It took a moment to realize it was a piece of paper. As soon as I took it, she pointed up towards the ceiling, and then she was gone again.

I retreated back into the light of my bedside lamp to read the note. Even in the dim lighting, I made out the words, "Meet me on the roof, little flower", in Thresh's smooth handwriting. It was still odd to think that such delicate calligraphy came from such a towering figure.

Without thinking of how I was dressed, and not really caring, I wrapped a robe around myself and, bare footed, walked up the stairs to the roof. The lights of the city rained upward into the sky like fireworks, the kind I'd seen on television in the Capital. And there he was. Shadow meeting shadow in the dark of night. Cold. Dark. Menacing. Except for that smile. Pearly white teeth that somehow lightened his entire essence. They seemed out of place on the dark canvas.

"Nice outfit." he laughed softly as I approached.

For a second, I was blinded by his appearance. He was wearing a nice looking dress shirt and a nice pair of cream colored pants. I laughed too as I realized how under dressed I was. "Well, it is 4 o' clock in the morning, Thresh." I tried to sound witty and ultimately failed.

He stepped closer, now within a foot of my person. "I couldn't wait until morning to see you again." His voice had dropped. The once teasing tone had vanished and was replaced by something more serious.

"O-oh." Was all that I could muster the strength to say. There was something about him... not intimidating, just... Overpowering. Like he was too much too handle all at once.

"Plus..." He said quietly as he closed the gap between us, lifting my chin with one soft, dark finger. "fire burns brighter at night." And with that, his lips found mine.

The kiss was short and soft. To my surprise, his lips were insanely plush. Like kissing the hide of a baby bunny. There was also something else. They weren't just soft. They were captivating. Much like his deep voice. They seemed to pull me closer. And closer. And I found myself not wanting to fight them. And then, as quickly as it had started, the kiss was over.

His dark eyes peered down into mine and I felt myself get lost in their comforting color scheme. It took me a moment to realize he was now not only holding my gaze, as well as my body.

"Katniss. Katniss." he called out softly.

I'd fallen over on him and he was now holding me up. "W-wha..." I blushed, standing erect immediately. "Oh... S-sorry."

He chuckled. "Don't apologize. It's fine." Smiling, he bent down and pecked my cheek again.

But a peck wasn't good enough. I found myself wanting to get lost in those lips again. I gently grabbed the side of his face and connected my lips with his again. He happily obliged to my wants. Pulling me into his arms, he held me to his warm chest. I could hear his heart beating loudly under my hands. The air swirled around us and even though the night was cold, it was as if I was standing in a bubble of warmth. A warmth provided by Thresh. The seemingly coldest player in the Games. And that's when I heard the clapping.

Pulling away instantly, I turned to see an angry looking Peeta. His cheeks were flushed. "Great show." He shouted across the roof at us.

"Peeta." The word slipped from my lips like a drop of blood.

"No, no. Really. Great show. I bet you really believed him, huh, Katniss. With that whole 'fire burning brightest at night' blah blah blah. Really convincing." He was blood red.

"Peeta what are you-?" I started to ask.

"Katniss." Thresh's arms were still around me, though all the warmth I'd felt before had long since drained from my body. I looked up at him with pain in my eyes.

"So she was right. This was all a scheme." Peeta laughed, a cold, insane kind of laugh.

"Katniss, what's he talking about?" Thresh asked.

My head felt like it was going to explode. Here I was, starting to finally believe I could trust Thresh, and Peeta came along and reminded me to do the very opposite. Now both of them were talking at once. I vaguely recognized Thresh dropping his arms back to his sides. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"STOP IT!" I yelled, probably loud enough to wake everyone in Panem up. Both the baker's son and the mysterious boy from district 11 stopped speaking at once. Still, their voices bounced through my mind. "I can't take it!" I yelled desperately.

Next thing I knew, I was flying down the stairs. A groggy prep team, a confused looking Haymitch, and an obviously upset Effie waited for me at the base of the stairway. Before any of them could ask, I shouted, "I don't want to talk about it!" and slammed the door to my room shut. I was too busy crying to realize I was not alone.

"Come here..." He called softly. And as easily as I would crawl into bed at night, I dove myself into the only familiar arms I'd ever been in. Gale's.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter! And this one's a scandal. xD Anyways... Enjoy :)_**

Chapter Five

After I'd stopped sobbing, something only Gale had ever seen me do, I finally pulled out of his arms. He was frowning and still petting my hair.

"Now, explain to me what happened." He prompted quietly.

And so I told him. I told him everything. "And... I kind of... Compared him to you... The way he acts..." I blushed softly as I said this.

He smiled softly. "Oh really? Can he hunt like I can?"

I shook my head. "No, but he can throw a spear as well as you can make a snare."

He nodded with a grin. "Pretty good then." He fixed a strand of stray hair on my head and looked down into my eyes. His eyes held that same kind of sparkle Thresh's did. Except that Gale's were familiar. How many nights I'd dreamt of losing myself in those eyes forever. It was no question I had feelings for Gale. He made me feel safe. Like I didn't have to worry about anything. Everything in the world would be fine as long as I was with Gale. "What are you going to do?"

His question stirred me from my thoughts. What _was_ I going to do? "I... I don't know... They'll both be dead soon anyway... So will I, probably but... Hey." The thought finally crossed my mind. "How did you get in here in the first place? Tributes and mentors only!"

He grinned. "Oh Catnip... I thought you would have guessed by now." When I didn't respond, he continued. "I've come to sponsor you."

The words bounced off the inside of my skull. Gale? A sponsor? "But... How... You don't have-" He stopped me before I could say 'any money'.

"So I could be closer to you... And _if_ and it's a big _if_, you die... Find the person..." he whispered. His head was inclined towards mine now. His voice was a whisper. "And personally rip their throat out for killing the girl I love." And with that, our lips met.

Suddenly, the boy that made everything complicated melt away had only stirred the dust even further. But I still found myself kissing back. And oddly, I wasn't worried about the kiss. I was worried about the Games. What if Gale did track down the person that kills me. He'd surely be hung in the capital. For all to see. It might even be televised. And suddenly the thought of the television at my house, flicked on to show the mandatory viewing, and it being a shot of Gale hanging limp by a rope around his neck, made me sick to my stomach.

I quickly broke off the kiss. Gale, having been sensing my emotions for years now, read me like a book. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek softly. "I'm sorry Catnip. I didn't mean to worry you. You'll be fine. I promise. And when you survive... Maybe I can take you on a date." He laughed, and I did too, though it sounded hollow.

After that, I sat, wrapped in his arms for a while. He asked if I wanted him to stay all night and, though meeting some reluctance, I shook my head. It'd be too much to explain to Haymitch, and too much of a scandal for the Capital to ignore. And in no way would I feed their sadistic appetite for drama. He nodded slowly, kissed my forehead, and slipped out of the room, silent as always.

Immediately after he left, I wished I'd asked him to stay. The room seemed cold and lonely without him. I craved his arms around me once more. But I couldn't ask him to stay. It would be selfish. To bring him in, and give him hope, only to have that hope crushed in 5 days in the arena.

5 days. It rung inside my head. 5 days and this whole mess would really unfold. My brain began to wander. Would I be killed on the first day? Would I kill someone on the first day? Questions like this bounced through my head all night long. Just as I'd _finally_ fallen asleep, Effie was knocking on my door, proclaiming a 'big, big, big day' was about to unfold.

When I came down for breakfast, Peeta was not-so-surprisingly absent. Haymitch said after I'd went to bed he'd locked himself in his room and hadn't emerged since. I ate lightly before informing no one in particular that I wasn't hungry (which wasn't a lie), and that I was going back to my room to nap a little before training (which was a lie).

My feet climbed the familiar stairs up onto the roof. Somehow, I knew this was where he'd be. He turned around to face me as I walked quietly onto the roof patio. He just crossed his arms and watched me approach.

"You need to eat, Peeta." I said, handing him a biscuit.

He threw it on the ground before looking back out over the city. "Why would you care?"

Sighing, I picked up the soiled biscuit and stuffed it into my jacket pocket. "Because were district partners. At the very least, we can form an alliance in the beginning and hope that we don't have to kill each other. That won't work if you starve yourself to death now." I tried to sound nonchalant.

And that's when it happened. Pulling me into his arms, Peeta kissed me slow and soft, not roughly like the other kisses I'd experienced lately. And I found myself kissing back at the same rate. His lips were soft, like pale white clouds of air. And as quickly as it had began, the kiss was broke off. I stared up in awe at this baker's son. He stared back with a cold, hard expression.

"Yeah... I do hope I don't have to kill you, Katniss." He said before walking off.

And I was left there, on the roof, the taste of my last three kisses on my lips. And now I knew I didn't have a choice. I had to make a decision. And soon.

**_Like this chapter? Can't wait for the next? How about leaving me a review or sending me a PM right here on Fanfiction! Haha. Hopefully there will only be one or two chapters left after this. Until next time... Happy Hunger Games :)_**


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys. Since I just checked my reviews and realized YOU'RE ALL DEMANDING A NEW CHAPTER, I decided I'll write a new piece today. Keep your eyes open. :D


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry guys. I can't write when I'm not inspired. I promise it will be in the next week though. Love you all!**


	8. Chapter 8

**_GUESS WHAT GUYS! I'M BAAAAAAAACK!_**

The next morning did not go as planned. Not at all.

I woke from my cold bed, determined to make a decision. However, when I emerged from my bedroom, I found the entire 12th floor completely empty. The cold stung not only my feet as they lie upon the hard tile floor, but also my mind as I realized I'd overslept. Everyone had already gone out for the day. And no one had thought to wake me.

I ate a cold breakfast of old ham and eggs before I dressed.

As I arrived at the training room, I found it startlingly quiet. Opening the doors, I saw the entire area was empty. It seemed as if everyone in the world had disappeared, and I was the only one left. And that's when I heard the footsteps behind me. Suddenly, everything went black as I felt a warm liquid dripping from the back of my head. Blood.

What seemed like hours later, I groggily awoke on a cold floor. My skin prickled with goose bumps as I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position. Quickly I examined the room. It seemed to be empty other than the small white mattress I sat upon. The mattress itself lie on the floor.

My arms were restrained in front of my body. My mouth was gagged and my head was bandaged. It still hurt like hell, but it was the least of my worries. At the moment, I was more concerned with where I was and how to escape. There was a large white door at the end of the room. I could see my reflection in the doorknob as it slowly turned.

In entered 2 Peacekeepers. One that looked burlier behind his shielded mask, and one that looked younger. The burly looking one had a long flowing mustache that seemed as if it were tightly packed into the small amount of space between his face and the plastic that covered it. However, the younger, thinner Peacekeeper had no facial hair. In fact, he looked as if he couldn't be any older than his mid twenties.

They both approached me quickly and roughly forced me to my feet. As we soon discovered, my knees were too weak for me to stand, let alone walk, as it seemed they wished me to do.

The burly Peacekeeper, obviously annoyed with this new discovery, simply took to dragging me along on the floor by my wrist. My knees scraped the hard, white-tiled floor as he did so. I could feel the scratches embedding themselves into my flesh as he pulled my out of the room. Not a second too after we emerged into a long white hallway, the young Peacekeeper slipped a thick cloth over my eyes and tied it behind my head so I could not see.

I was dragged on the ground for what seemed like a while. I could hear other footsteps. More Peacekeepers I assumed. At that point, even if I had the strength, it would be foolish to try and resist or try to fight back. I was in their territory now. Like hunting. If you're in the bear's territory, it's best to calmly back away and accept the idea that you're not eating today.

After a while, we stopped and my body was lifted. Seconds later, I came crashing to the ground again, but what sounded around 10 or 15 feet away. My body ached already what with the tightness of the restraints, and now an agonizing migraine. I heard a groan beside me as my blindfold was untied and taken away. I pushed myself into a sitting position, letting my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room around me.

As soon as I'd opened my eyes, I wanted to shut them again. The sight was horrific.

Lying next to me was a bloody and bruised Gale. His hair was matted to his face with sweat and dried blood. He had several cuts on his face and bare chest, as well as his arms. His eyes were swollen and black. He looked as if he could not open them.

My heart nearly lept out of my chest at the sight of him. I immediately crawled, to the best of my ability, to him. He winced as he heard me draw near.

"Gale?" I asked quietly as my hand gently touched his forehead.

He winced again, but this time not out of fear. "Katniss? Is that you?"

I felt hot tears streaming down my cheeks as I examined him further. He had lost a lot of blood. His lips were chapped but dried blood smeared all over his features. He too was restrained at the wrists, but also his feet had been heavily bound. He must have tried to resist. "Y-yes... It's me.." Somehow I found the courage to speak.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but was cut off by the sound of bodies hitting the ground. One. Then another. I quickly turned to see the faces of Peeta and Thresh buried in the tile floor. Both were bloody and stiff. My mouth produced a sound that sounded half like a frog's croak, half like a sob as I saw them.

My first instinct was to go to them, but they were so far away, and I was so weak. I now realized that the bandage on my head had broken free and I was bleeding heavily again. The bloodloss was already making me quite dizzy. Instead, I licked my chapped lips and tried to gain the strength to project my voice across the room.

"P-Peeta! Thr-esh!" I called with a hoarse, dry voice that barely carried far enough to touch their bloody ears.

Thresh was the first to lift his head from where it had landed on the pavement. He had a bandage over his left eye, and his other was completely swollen shut. His faces was cut in several places, and fresh blood still pooled around him. He looked around slowly to match my voice with a direction. "Kat-katniss?" He called softly.

"Yes!" I called excitedly as I tried to make my way closer to him. It appeared that Peeta was either unconscious or...

Thresh tried to push himself into a sitting position, but his arms hard been restrained behind his body, so he was unable to do much more than lift his head. He was wearing shreds of clothes that barely covered him anymore. "Katniss.. I'm s-so glad you're alright!" He called back.

Gale, whom I'd all but forgotten about, let out a soft groan. "Who's there, K-Katnip?"

Realizing I'd left him lying there, I crawled back to him. With the blood dripping from my head still, this was a bit harder than it should have been. "Gale, calm down. It's just Thresh. Y-you're okay."

Gale reached up blindly with his hands, trying to find my face. I quickly guided his fingertips to my cheeks. They were now soaked with hot tears. The hunter and my best friend only smiled. "I can see you Katniss." he whispered softly. That's when I realized something was wrong. There was no way he could see me with both of his eyes swollen. "It's s-so bright..." He croaked out in a very weak sounding voice. More hot tears began to stream my cheeks.

"What's b-bright, Gale?" I asked, though I already knew what he would answer.

"The... light..." He said softly. Tears began to slowly drip out of the corners of his puffy eyes. His lips quivered as he desperately tried to say something else. I clutched onto the hands that held my cheeks. "Y-you're... so... b-beau-tif-ful..." He whispered in a barely audible voice.

I began to sob. "T-thank you G-gale..."

That's when I knew. He didn't say anything back. Nothing at all. As I clutched his hands to my face, his skin became cold. His lips stopped moving and his chest ceased to rise again. I fell over his corpse, sobbing.

Just then, I heard the door open and shove a body aside. I turned to see the burly Peacekeeper come into the room with a man that could easily be his twin brother. They walked over, grabbed me by the elbow, and literally tossed me aside. I watched through tears as they picked up Gale's body and left the room, closing the door with a slam.

Sobs choked my throat as I curled into a ball on the cold floor. I could faintly hear a voice roughly calling my name. I was now bleeding quite heavily from the back of my head, the bandage long gone. After what seemed like hours, I felt a warm hand on my skin. I opened my eyes to the dark boy from district 8.

I realized then that my restraints were gone. I quickly threw my arms around the muscled body of Thresh and sobbed into the crook of his neck. He held me for a long time before he spoke.

"Katniss..." His voice was weak, nothing at all like the usual captivating silk. "Peeta... G-Gale... They're..." he couldn't continue. And he need not. I knew what he was getting at. "I'm sorry..."

And then he gently explained to me what had happened. President Snow had gotten word of a rebellion. Someone had tipped him off and he immediately took in the hottest new pawns in the game. Myself, Gale, Peeta, and Thresh. Thankfully, the guys had all been questioned and beaten before I was even retrieved. Both Gale and Peeta, having been looking out for me supposedly, had admitted to everything in agreement for my safety. This fact brought more tears to my eyes.

I had gotten Gale, my best friend in the world, and Peeta, the baker's son who was just trying to survive, killed. They'd both done what they had to to ensure my safety, even if it cost them their life. And neither of them, none of us, had done anything wrong.

As I looked up at the boy from district 8, a plan formed in my head. A plan to avenge my friends. A plan to save Panem. A plan to start a real rebellion. And as Thresh lovingly held me to his hot chest, I knew without a doubt, he'd be by my side, every step of the way.

**_Here you go guys! The end of this story. Twisted, I know! But hey, maybe if I get enough good reviews, I'll start working on a new mini-series? hehehehe. ;)_**

**_Until then, Happy Hunger Games!_**

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